§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to complete his consultations with the Royal Colleges, the British Medical Association and other bodies regarding promotional expenditure for drugs; how many meetings have now been held; and if he will publish in the Official Report a list of publications on which advertising will be an allowable cost before 22nd November 1976.
112W
§ Mr. EnnalsExpenditure on promotion, including advertising, is an allowable cost under the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme but will be subject to the limitation I announced on 22nd July which will reduce the allowed cost from 14 per cent. of the industry's sales to 10 per cent. by 1979. I hope that consultations about the proposal to exclude from this limitation advertising in journals which derive or will derive a significant part of their income from subscriptions will be completed by the end of the year. No list of individual publications can be compiled until consultations have been completed.